The Blakes give American journalists ethical hives. I am still scratching mine. The problem: They demand payment.

In Doron's early years, Afton did interviews for free. But over time it became a chore, disrupting her life and Doron's. She realized that Doron's story was a rare and precious commodity and saw no reason to give it free to any journalist who came knocking. So, she started charging, and now they both do. Doron uses the cash to pay off college loans and buy textbooks. It is hard to argue with their logic.

Foreign press outlets have happily accommodated them—rules about source payment are looser overseas. Japanese, Brits, and Germans are especially fascinated by the genius-baby story. These TV crews and tab reporters give Doron as much as $1,500 for an interview, and they pay Afton a fair chunk for her time, too.

Most American media won't pay sources, but still, they usually find a way to satisfy the Blakes. 60 Minutes repeatedly flew Afton from Los Angeles to New Hampshire to visit Doron at boarding school and housed her at top-notch hotels. One crew ostensibly "rented" Afton's house in exchange for an interview. She is a psychologist, so other reporters have booked her for a therapy sessions at $160 an hour.

None of these outlets disclose that they've paid the Blakes. But since Seed is a transparent project, I will. Here's what happened: When I finally reached Afton Blake, she told me her requirement of cash payment. I discussed it with my editors, and we decided that we would not pay (partly because payment encourages a source to embellish, but mostly because if everyone demanded cash, we would go bankrupt. Though Slate has paid a source before: Scott Shuger gave a call girl $500 to interview her for his story on Internet prostitution. Shuger explained why journalistic payola can be legit in this recent Los Angeles Times op-ed.)

I told Afton we wouldn't pay but asked if she had any other ideas for compensation. She suggested I fly her up to Portland to visit Doron at college. I probably would have done this, but thought of a simpler scheme: I was visiting Los Angeles the next week and proposed taking her out to a nice dinner. Taking a source out to dinner is standard practice—even the high priests of journalism OK dinners. She agreed—a bit reluctantly. (As it turned out, the only time we could meet was Valentine's Day, and the only restaurant that had an available reservation was a romantic Italian place. We were the only noncouple in the joint. I had the heart-shaped ravioli. She had the lobster. The bill: $140.)

Doron Blake was a bit trickier. When I finally reached him by e-mail, he was receptive to the Seed project but wouldn't set aside his payment demand. I knew his best friend still attends boarding school in New Hampshire, so I proposed that Slate fly Doron east so that he could visit his friend and I could meet him. That way he would get compensation he really wanted, and I could pretend I wasn't paying him. My convoluted ethical justification: I would have to fly cross-country if I wanted to meet him. So, why not fly him instead? The ticket would cost Slate the same amount in either case. In fact, Slate would save money if we flew Doron east, because I wouldn't have a Portland hotel bill.

He happily agreed but said he couldn't come east till April. Later he realized he couldn't come till school ended in May. But I needed to talk to him before that, so I interviewed him over the phone last week.

Which leads me reluctantly to the conclusion that the end result of all my scheming is nothing more than a straight payoff. I am giving him a round-trip airline ticket, and I accrue no journalistic benefit from it, because I won't actually meet him in Newark Airport till long after this story comes out. The entire Seed project may be complete by the time I see Doron's face.